


Appointment With Disaster

by Doylebaby



Category: actor rps
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-28
Updated: 2013-03-05
Packaged: 2017-12-03 22:24:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/703294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doylebaby/pseuds/Doylebaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Receiving documents that hold shocking information about his lover, puts Orlando's life in peril.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Angst Bingo for the prompts: 'Murder (attempted or successful)', 'Dying', 'Plane crash', 'Unable to perform'.

  


Excellent banner made by liriel, thanks so much hon!  


**Appointment with Disaster**

**Part 1**

Orlando looked over his shoulder, clutching a large envelope under his arm and an overnight bag in his hand.

He didn’t see anyone he knew, or anyone specifically looking for someone, but just in case, he held his head down and made sure he was surrounded by other travellers in the queue. 

When it was his turn Orlando quickly checked in, keeping his bag and the envelope with him and then sought out the busiest part of the lounge to wait until it was time to board the plane. 

He chose a place where he could sit with his back to the wall but with an escape route if he needed it. 

Unzipping his bag, Orlando stuffed the envelope in it. It would have to do for now, once he was through customs he could find a safer place for it.

~ * ~ 

Doctor David Wenham had been waiting for him.

 

Orlando crossed the road to hail a taxi to the airport, when a man with reddish blond hair accosted him. Orlando knew of David Wenham’s feud with Brad and tried to shrug him off. 

“In there is all the proof you need,” the Doctor assured him, pushing an envelope in Orlando’s hands before hurrying away.

“Hey!” Orlando called after the disappearing man and then stood staring after him. Curious as to the contents, Orlando opened the envelope and took a quick glance at the papers inside. 

It was enough. 

Orlando looked up at the building he had just left and saw his lover, standing in front of his office window. No doubt having seen David handing him the envelope and how _he_ had checked the contents. 

He now knew that everything Doctor Wenham had claimed was true. Orlando immediately realized that the knowledge and the papers he had, put him in great danger.

Brad looked down on him and motioned with his hand for Orlando to come to him, but Orlando shook his head. He couldn’t, not with what he now knew was true.

His mobile rang and he looked at the caller ID, it was Brad.

“Yes?” 

“We have to talk about this, babe. Things are not what they seem. Let me explain it to you.” Brad sounded very reasonable. 

“I can’t,” Orlando replied quietly. “You always said David Wenham was a rambling idiot, but I have the proof in my hands, Brad. You’ve been lying to me from day one and not only to me. I have to go now and I’m taking these documents with me.” It might not have been a smart thing to say, but by having these documents in his possession he was at risk anyway.

He disconnected the call and flagged a taxi without another look at the office where Brad was no doubt still watching him. 

His mobile rang again, but he refused to listen to Brad making excuses. Next he received a text message and Orlando couldn’t resist reading it.

_not too late to come back and hand over documents, you know they are fake…_

A little shiver crawled down Orlando’s spine, it might seem a harmless message but he could sense the threat. If they were fake, why was Brad so adamant that he had to get them? 

He was about to delete the message, but then decided to save it… just in case. 

“Where to?” the driver asked impatiently.

Orlando was about to tell him to go to the airport when he changed his mind, he had to make sure these documents were delivered to the right people, but not before he’d taken steps to ensure they would get there.

“The library,” he told the taxi driver. 

His mobile signalled he had another text message and even before he looked, he just _knew_ it was Brad.

_I will get the documents one way or another… You can’t get away from me!_

Orlando’s hand tightened around his mobile, before putting it away. It seemed Brad had decided he was the enemy now, unless he handed the documents over.

And that was not going to happen, Orlando was quite determined about that. It was a lucky coincidence that he was flying to the Head office in Brussels for a meeting with the Board of Directors; he could hand over the documents to the Managing Director whom he knew very well.

“Here we are, sir.” The taxi driver pulled up in front of the library and Orlando quickly paid the man, got out of the taxi and ran up the steps two at a time.

~ * ~ 

Brad threw his phone on the glass table, his face twisted in rage. “The little bastard!” he hissed. Then the turned to the two men in his office waiting for instructions. “Find him!” he ordered. He pressed the intercom. “Eileen, get me Orlando’s flight information.”

A few minutes later, his secretary hurried inside with the requested information and handed it to her boss.

Brad took a brief look, then handed it to one of the men. “I want those documents destroyed, I don’t care how!” He made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

The two men nodded and left the office. 

Cold blue eyes looked out of the window, narrowing at the sight of a silver aeroplane passing overhead, shining in the sun.

Brad turned away and sat down at his desk, he needed to make some phone calls.

~ * ~ 

Orlando pushed the door of the library open and went straight to the information desk.

“Excuse me?” 

The girl behind the counter looked up and smiled brightly at him. “Can I help you, sir?”

“Do you have a photocopier I can use?” Orlando asked.

The girl nodded and pointed to his right. “The copier is over there, next to the computers. It’s 10 pence per copy and there’s a money box on the machine. If you don’t have ten pence coins I can give you change.”

“Thanks,” Orlando nodded and pulled out his wallet to check. “I’m fine for now,” he told the girl and hurried towards the machine. He looked at his watch, he was never going to make his flight, he had only thirty minutes to get to the airport, but making sure these documents were copied and safe was more important. 

He pulled the envelope from his bag and took out the papers. He inserted the first ten pence into the machine and started copying, the other five pages followed soon after.

Then he meticulously separated the two piles, putting the originals back in the envelope in the side compartment of his bag and the photocopies in a different one. 

Upon seeing the computers he had an idea and quickly sat down at one of them. He could cancel his flight online and maybe book another flight with a different destination. 

London City Airport had a number of daily flights to Rotterdam Airport which wasn’t too far from Brussels. He checked his watch again, it was now eleven o’clock, he would have plenty of time to get organised and make the 2:30 flight. 

Orlando went back to the counter and thanked the girl for her help and then asked her if there was a chemist and a newsagent close by. He thanked his lucky stars when she said both were just around the corner from the library.

After a last thank you he hurried out of the building determined to get the final things he needed to keep the papers safe.

~ * ~ 

“Sir?” Eileen’s voice came over the intercom.

Brad sighed in annoyance when he was interrupted. “Yes, Eileen?” 

“I’ve just received an email that Orlando has cancelled his flight to Brussels…”

“What?” Brad jumped up from his chair and yanked the door to his office open, stalking to her desk.

A little startled she showed him the screen.

“Damn, that little bastard. He’s got more brains then I gave him credit for!” Brad paced up and down in his secretary’s office. “I’m certain he _will_ go to Brussels though. Check all flights, Eileen, see what other options there are!”

“Yes, sir,” the woman nodded meekly.

~ * ~ 

Orlando bought the supplies he needed at the chemist’s and envelopes, stamps and a few other items at the newsagent’s. All that he needed to do now, was to verify the address he wanted to use.

He ducked into an EAT and ordered a coffee and a chicken and bacon sandwich, then he pulled his mobile out and searched for the number he wanted.

 

“McKellen, Bean and Mortensen, how may I help you?”

“I’d like to speak to Sean please, this is Orlando Bloom.” Orlando fiddled with the menu card in front of him. He was put through immediately.

“Orlando, lad? How are you doing? It’s been a while.” 

Sean’s cheerful voice brought a smile to Orlando’s face. The Northern bastard was always able to cheer him up. He cleared his throat, hoping Sean wouldn’t notice his precarious state of mind. “Hey Sean, I’ve got… Something’s happened and-”

“What’s wrong, lad? What’s going on?” 

Orlando could almost see Sean trying to crawl into the telephone to get to him. 

“I need to-” Again he was interrupted.

“Hang on, Orlando, Viggo is standing here waving like a lunatic trying to get my attention.” Orlando heard Sean move away from the phone without covering the mouth peace and he couldn’t help overhearing their conversation.

_“What is it, Viggo? Something’s wrong with Lando.”_

Then Viggo’s voice, a bit hushed but still audible. _“Try to find out where he is. Brad is looking for him, apparently he took off rather suddenly.”_

_“Shite, Viggo! He does sound upset… Maybe there is a reason for him to leave Brad?”_

Sean had never warmed to Brad and Orlando had always wondered why; today it didn’t seem so weird anymore.

_“Just find out where he is hiding. He was supposed to have flown to Brussels today and he has cancelled his flight. Brad is worried about him,”_ Viggo stressed.

“Lando? What’s this all about. Viggo says Brad is look- Ow, bloody hell, Vig, what was that for? That hurts!” Sean cursed. It was obvious to Orlando that he wasn’t supposed to know that Brad was looking for him. He wasn’t stupid though, of course Brad was looking for him.

“Sean? Are you still there?” Orlando heard a growl which probably indicated Sean was about to flatten Viggo. “I’m not going to tell you where I am. Don’t trust Brad, that’s all I can say! Do you still have the cottage?”

“Aye, lad. Now what-” It wasn’t Sean’s day for making long speeches because he was interrupted again by Orlando.

“ _Don’t_ tell Viggo that I asked about the cottage, don’t tell him anything, he will only blab everything to Brad. Brad is not who he claims to be, Sean, that’s all I can say for now. Go to the cottage as soon as possible and don’t tell anyone about it! I wish I could come to see you, but I have to stay away from here for a while. Bye Sean, love you!” 

Orlando shut off his mobile, he felt a little guilty for leaving Sean hanging like that but right now he had more important things to do. 

He quickly wrote the address of Sean’s cottage in Yorkshire down on the envelope, licked the stamps and put them on the envelope. He put the photocopied documents in the envelope, deciding that he would keep the originals, he just didn’t want to risk them getting lost.

Gathering his things, Orlando paid and left. Outside he asked directions to the closest post-box and with a sigh of relief he let the envelope slide through the opening.

He hailed a taxi and leant back as he was taken to the airport.

~ * ~ 

“Mr. Pitt?” Eileen’s voice came over the intercom again and Brad clenched his fists. Now what?

“Yes, Eileen?” His voice didn’t show any of his anxiousness.

“I managed to find out when and where Orlando will be going. I was able to convince the airline he had left his passport and that we didn’t know exactly which flight he was on…”

“Yeah, yeah, clever. And?” Brad’s impatience was showing now.

“He’s on the 2:30 flight to Rotterdam, sir, from there he can easily take another flight or a train to Brussels.”

Brad nodded in triumph. “Good work, Eileen. Get Jim on the phone for me!” A victorious fist punched the air. “You’re no match for me, you little bastard. Too bad about that good mouth and nice ass, as for your brains…” Brad chuckled. “I doubt anyone will miss you.”

The phone rang and Brad quickly answered. He was going to pull in a lot of favours he was owed.

Tonight those documents wouldn’t be an issue anymore.

~ * ~ 

Orlando was shifting around nervously, he thought he had seen a familiar face, which puzzled him. Why would one of Brad’s technicians – in his work clothes, be at the airport? Unless Brad sent him here to look for him. Orlando sat with his head down, he wanted to get through customs, but too few people were making their way through security and he only felt safe in a crowd.

Finally there were enough people queuing and Orlando joined the queue with a little sigh of relief. 

As soon as he was through customs, Orlando hurried to the gents’ toilets. He found an empty cubicle and took the envelope out of his bag. He pulled the papers out and folded them and put them in a plastic press-to-seal bag. Then he taped the bag to his chest, pulled his t-shirt down and buttoned his shirt again. 

Next he took out a jar of hair gel and put it in his hair, smoothing his curls as much as possible, and pulling his hair into a tight pony tail. The last thing he needed to take care of were his contact lenses. He pushed the lid of the toilet seat down and took their container out of his bag and removed his lenses, then he took his glasses from their case, black horn-rimmed ones, and put them on his nose. He only had them as back up to wear if something happened to his lenses and hadn’t worn them in quite some time. Things were slightly fuzzy but it would have to do.

A dark blue sweater replaced his office jacket and Orlando hoped his metamorphosis was successful.

~ * ~ 

Orlando looked for his seat; the flight to Rotterdam was busier then he’d expected and when he found his row, he blinked at the handsome dark-haired man sitting in the window seat. He was quite tall and struggling a bit with the cramped space, but smiled at Orlando as he shoved his bag in the overhead luggage compartment and then took the middle seat beside the man.

Orlando blinked again when a second tall, dark-haired and very handsome man appeared, he blamed his glasses for the late discovery and felt a faint blush cover his cheeks as he was caught staring. 

The man grinned and sat down on Orlando’s other side and stretched his legs, getting in a tangle with the seat in front. “Blimey! Have to chop off my legs I think.”

Orlando suppressed a giggle, glad he wasn’t that tall, the guy on the other side nodded though and shifted a little to get comfortable. “Might stick my legs out of the window in a bit.”

This time Orlando couldn’t contain the giggle that bubbled up and the two men looked at him in surprise and then winked at each other. 

The plane started to taxi towards the runway and the flight attendant who came to check if they had fastened their seatbelts looked at them and gave them a megawatt smile. “This is the row for tall, dark and handsome men, I see.”

They smiled politely at her and seeing her joke fell flat, she quickly moved on.

“Wrong equipment, darling,” the man on the aisle side muttered as the aircraft lifted off exactly on time. 

The Window Man nodded in agreement. “Most definitely, she doesn’t stand a chance,” he added.

“I couldn’t agree more.” Orlando decided to put in a word too. 

They smiled conspiratorially at each other and then as if on cue burst out laughing.

When he had calmed down again, Window Man held out his hand. “Eric Bana, taken. Nice to meet you.”

“Ah, a fellow Aussie, Hugh… Jackman,” Aisle Man replied. “Free as a bird,” he looked meaningfully at Orlando. 

Orlando liked them both immediately, but was uneasily deliberating whether to use his real name or not, then decided that these men had nothing to do with Brad. “Orlando,” he introduced himself, shaking both men’s hands. “Uh… I guess I am no longer… attached.” 

He looked at his hands when that knowledge suddenly hit him hard. Up until a couple of hours ago Brad had been his lover; the man he had loved and who he thought loved him in return and had been in a relationship with for two years. He suddenly doubted that Brad had ever loved him.

Could you threaten someone you loved the way Brad had? 

“I guess you’ve broken up recently?” Hugh asked him gently. 

Orlando nodded without looking up. “Today I guess… I found out…” he sighed.

“What?” Eric leaned closer. “Did the bastard cheat on you? He couldn’t perform so he used Viagra? He has a nasty case of BO? Come on, don’t keep us in suspense.”

“Eric!” Hugh hissed, looking at Orlando in concern, afraid Eric’s flippant attitude was painful for him.

Orlando looked at Eric in shocked amazement and then he started to laugh until tears were running down his face. “The thought of Brad using Viagra…” he wiped his face. “or having BO,” he started to giggle again until it slowly died down. “I don’t think there’s anyone more concerned with his looks and body than Brad. Thanks for making me laugh, Eric, but I’m afraid it’s far more serious then that. I can’t really tell you, because I can’t show you my proof.” Orlando’s fingers travelled across his chest until he could feel the small bump from the documents. 

Eric and Hugh frowned at each other. “What is it that you discovered?” Hugh probed.

Orlando looked at Hugh, pondering how much he should tell.

Hugh put a large hand on Orlando’s wrist. “Even though we’re curious as hell, you don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to. Just tell us to mind our own business. We won’t push you.”

Eric pouted. “Speak for yourself! I won’t be able to sleep if he’s going to stay quiet.” He winked at Orlando, who grinned back and then took a deep breath. 

“I guess I can tell you that I found out that my lover of two years, isn’t who he says he is, and now that I know, he’s threatening me. There are documents to prove it, but I’ve put them in a safe place.” He wasn’t prepared to reveal he had the documents on his body, not even to these two likable men. 

Hugh wrinkled his forehead. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but he must be an important person or at least someone well known, if he is threatening you over those documents. He is afraid you’re going to expose him.” He looked at Orlando for confirmation and Orlando nodded. 

Eric patted his shoulder. “At least you’re safe for now,” he said reassuringly. 

The flight attendant stopped beside them with her trolley and poured them a drink. 

Eric’s words didn’t make Orlando feel better, in fact he felt worse although he couldn’t tell why. He abruptly stood. “Sorry Hugh, need the loo.”

Hugh also stood and stepped aside so Orlando could get out and then sat down again, watching Orlando walk away with a worried look on his face. 

Orlando went to the toilet and closed the door, with a sigh of relief he opened the tap and, after putting his glasses aside, he splashed some water in his face. For some reason he felt nauseous and his stomach was doing some nasty somersaults. 

For the first time he admitted to himself that he was scared. Brad was a powerful man and with the knowledge Orlando had, together with the documents in his possession, he posed a big threat to his ex-lover and he was sure Brad would do anything to stop Orlando from exposing him.

Taking a deep breath, Orlando grabbed his glasses and went back to his seat. Without his glasses on his vision was even fuzzier and he tripped and stumbled and landed in Hugh’s lap.

“Well, hello there gorgeous, welcome back,” Hugh laughed as he held Orlando. 

It was a pleasant feeling, but Orlando felt really stupid. “S-sorry,” he stammered, after putting his glassed back on he managed to crawl out of Hugh’s lap. “Would you mind trading places with me, Hugh? I don’t feel so hot.” 

Hugh’s laughing face immediately changed to concern. “Of course.” He shifted to the middle seat and Orlando gratefully sank down in Hugh’s seat. 

“Is there anything you need, Orlando? Something to drink, painkillers?” Eric asked, ready to wave one of the hostesses over.

Orlando shook his head. “No, I think everything is catching up with me now, I’d just like to sit quietly for a bit.” He closed his eyes and felt very tired all of a sudden. It was only a short flight and he couldn’t really sleep, but maybe a brief nap would help him to feel better.

tbc 


	2. Chapter Two

Part Two

_“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Captain speaking. We picked up a tailwind over the North Sea, which means we will be landing approximately twelve minutes before our scheduled time. We will begin our descent into Rotterdam airport shortly and the seatbelt sign is now illuminated. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts.”_

Orlando opened his eyes at the sudden intrusion of the voice and noticed he was lying with his head on Hugh’s shoulder. He shot up straight, profusely apologising to the handsome man.

“It’s okay, Orlando, don’t worry about it,” Hugh smiled. “It isn’t every day I get to play pillow for a gorgeous guy.”

Orlando couldn’t help himself, but he blushed and squirmed uneasily in his seat. Brad had never said anything like that to him. Never paid him a ‘charming’ compliment. Usually it was something like: ‘those pants make your ass look great’ or whenever he had given Brad a blowjob, ‘you’ve got such a talented mouth’. 

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable,” Hugh murmured.

Orlando shook his head. “No, it’s not… I… thanks. I don’t get to hear things like that very often.” 

Hugh’s eyebrows raised in disbelief. “Your partner never called you gorgeous?” 

Orlando shrugged. “That’s not Brad’s thing.”

“What an arsehole,” Eric joined the conversation. “Even I think you’re gorgeous and I’m sure that Luke – my boyfriend – wouldn’t even flatten me for saying that, he’d agree with me!”

Hugh and Orlando chuckled at Eric’s words.

A sudden loud bang startled everyone and the aircraft lurched and dropped as if caught in a huge air pocket. 

Passengers screamed as overhead compartments shot open and belongings fell down. The oxygen masks appeared from the compartments above their heads.

It seemed the pilot had difficulty keeping the aircraft under control, it swayed and bucked like a moody stallion. 

Something was definitely wrong!

Those who hadn’t fastened their seatbelts yet, had a hard time staying in their seats and people cried out in fear.

The plane dropped again and Eric cursed. “Don’t know what the hell is wrong, but I can see the airport, we’re almost there!”

Orlando sat frozen in his seat, his hands clutching the armrests tightly. He hadn’t even heard Eric’s words. This was it, he was going to die and a lot of people with him because of those wretched documents! 

It was all his fault. He should have hidden somewhere from Brad while trying to get in contact with the board of directors of the company. He shouldn’t have set foot on the plane and endangered people’s lives like this.

“It’s all my fault,” he mumbled. 

“What?” Hugh bent over to hear him over the noise of the howling engines. 

The plane dropped again and Orlando grabbed for Hugh’s hand, desperately needing the contact in this hazardous moment. 

The sound system pinged loudly and the words BRACE! BRACE! BRACE! added to the overall noise level in the cabin.

Dazed Orlando shook his head. “I shouldn’t have come, I’ve doomed us all.”

Hugh took Orlando’s glasses off and pushed his head down and together they waited anxiously for the landing.

The aircraft touched down hard and part of the landing gear gave way immediately, it bounced up into the air again, lurched and then smacked on the runway for the second time with so much force it broke in three pieces. The pieces each slid across the landing strip at great speed.

Parts of the fuselage tore off and became lethal projectiles injuring, possibly killing passengers trapped in their seats.

Entire rows of chairs had been ejected from the aircraft and after the initial shock, those passengers that were conscious, started to scream and shout for help.

Orlando and the two Australians were seated in the tail of the aircraft and after the first collision with the runway it had broken off immediately with about six rows of seats attached to it.

Sparks flew from the metal parts as they were dragged across the runway and there was a great risk of spilt fuel igniting.

The seat in front of Orlando broke off and one of the long pins with which it was attached to the floor, tore straight through Orlando’s upper right leg.

He cried out in pain and clamped a hand over the deep wound, blood seeping through his fingers.

With nothing to stem the bleeding, Hugh yanked off his headrest cover and pressed it against the wound in Orlando’s leg.

Eric looked pale and was struggling with his seatbelt, but when he had managed to open it, he found his legs were trapped by the seat in front of him and he just couldn’t free himself.

Orlando turned his head and checked on Hugh who had a gash on his temple that was bleeding sluggishly. Orlando reached out but before he could touch him, Hugh grabbed his wrist and he found Hugh’s dark eyes looking at him intently.

“What?” Orlando asked confused.

Hugh leaned forward until their lips brushed briefly. “I’ve wanted to do that from the moment I laid eyes on you and having just survived this crash… Well…” he shrugged and seemed lost for words all of a sudden. “It seems a good enough reason.”

“Uh lovebirds?” Eric grumbled, clearly in pain. “Some of us could use some help here.”

The next hour went by in great chaos.

Rotterdam Airport immediately dispatched emergency services to the crash site, where the danger of a fire breaking out, caused a lot of panic especially among those who, like Eric, were trapped in their seats and had to wait to be freed.

Orlando looked at the devastation around him and felt miserable. If Brad was somehow behind this all… How many people had died in the crash?

Hugh seemed to understand the expression of devastation on Orlando’s face.

“You don’t know what caused this, Orlando and if this is Brad’s doing then that is NOT your fault!”

In pain and very scared, Orlando just nodded and wished for this hell to end.

Paramedics climbed into the remains of the tail to get to the wounded.

“Hugh?” Orlando called out to the other man, who was looking for something that could help free Eric.

He returned to Orlando immediately. “What is it?” he asked worriedly.

Orlando pulled Hugh closer so he could speak quietly. “The documents need to be safe, Hugh, I can’t risk losing them now.”

“You mean you have them here?” Hugh asked, stunned.

Orlando nodded, his hand on his chest. “Taped to my body,” he confessed. “I don’t know whether I will need surgery,” he motioned at his leg. “I need to know they are safe.”

“I will guard them with my life,” Hugh promised solemnly. 

Orlando’s fingers pressed against Hugh’s lips. “Don’t say that. Keep them for me, but stay safe yourself.”

Hugh kissed Orlando’s fingers and nodded. 

Orlando swiftly removed the taped bag from his body and handed it to Hugh, who put the bag in the inside pocket of his jacket. “Thanks,” Orlando whispered.  
“I’ve got something for you too,” Hugh said and pulled out a pair of crooked glasses from his jacket pocket. “Sorry, they’re not the same anymore.”

It brought a small grin to Orlando’s face. “I wondered why you looked so blurry.” And he put the glasses on his nose again.

Soon after he was put on a stretcher and carried to an ambulance, Hugh walking beside him with the reassurance that Eric would follow as soon as he was freed. 

“There are quite a few hospitals in this region,” Hugh informed Orlando. “But I will find him if he’s not going to the same one as we are.”

As soon as they arrived at the hospital, Orlando was wheeled away for some x-rays, while Hugh’s small head wound was cleaned and patched up by a friendly nurse.

~ * ~ 

Brad held the woman’s head, so he could push his cock deeper down her throat, not much caring for her comfort.

_“… six o’clock news. A British Airways BAE 146 aircraft has crash-landed at Rotterdam Airport this afternoon. The airplane disintegrated on touchdown. There were several fatalities but the majority of those on board are reported to have survived. The injured have been taken to several hospitals in the vicinity. Relatives can get information…”_

Brad tuned out the rest and pulled out his suddenly flaccid cock. “Damn! I bet you the little bastard survived. This should have happened over the sea-” He then realized he had an unwanted audience, who looked up at him expectantly. 

“Continue blowjob?” She asked in heavily accented English, reaching for Brad’s now totally deflated shaft.

Brad, relieved that the woman probably hadn’t understood a word he’d said motioned for her to continue, he would make sure her tip was a big one later. 

It was no use though, Brad was too agitated to get it up again and he told her to go and get dressed. 

He hastily paid her and then started to make some phone calls. How the hell could this have gone wrong? 

He needed to do some damage control.

~ * ~ 

Two days later, Orlando had turned on his mobile again, which had miraculously survived the crash, realising there would probably be a few worried people. He didn’t feel up to checking his missed calls or messages in case any of them were from Brad. He decided to place a call to Brussels first.

At that moment Hugh walked in with a smile on his face, he pressed a kiss to Orlando’s forehead, not wanting to disturb him.

“Mr. Pitt?”

“Orlando! How many times have I told you to call me Joe?” Brad’s father had always been very fond of him and Orlando smiled sadly. “How are you, son? I was very worried when I got the message you were in that plane crash.”

“Who did you hear it from?” Confused and groggy from the painkillers that had knocked him out for the second night in a row, Orlando didn’t quite understand.

Joe chuckled. “A good friend of both of us. I was quite worried when you didn’t arrive at the meeting yesterday morning and received the phone call. Are you sure you are alright?”

Orlando wondered who the ‘good friend’ was. Sean hadn’t known he was on the flight and he couldn’t really think of someone else. Then he realized Joe had asked him a question. “I’m fine, Joe. They stitched up my leg and they say I need to stay at least another night, but I will be all right.”

“That’s good, son. Now is there a Hugh Jackman in the room with you by any chance? Can I speak to him?”

Speechless Orlando handed the phone to Hugh, who turned away while exchanging a few words with Joe Pitt. “Yes, see you soon.”

“Hugh? What’s going on?” Orlando sat staring at the man who had become quite important to him in the past forty or so hours and he was a little concerned about the answer.

“Orlando, I-” Hugh was interrupted when the door to Orlando’s room flew open and Eric hobbled inside on two crutches. “You two were hard to find!” he grumbled.

Hugh clapped his shoulder. “Sorry mate, had to make sure nothing else happened to Orlando,” he explained.

Orlando frowned at Hugh’s words, but smiled at Eric and then looked a bit worried at his crutches. “What happened to you?”

“My ankle is broken and they said I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere… Took away my phone too, even though I said I needed to make some calls!” Eric pouted. “They allowed me one call, which had to be to Luke of course. He’s going to finish up his business in the States and then come back as soon as possible.” He took a deep breath and then nodded at his ankle. “Should rest it, but I needed to know you two were okay.” Eric lowered himself in the chair Hugh provided. 

“Hugh, you still have some explaining to do,” Orlando said after Eric was settled. 

With a brief glance at Eric, Hugh sat on Orlando’s bed. “First of all I want to say that when you stepped on board we didn’t know who you were. Eric and I are private investigators; we run a business in Luxembourg. When we are out on a case, we often pretend we don’t know each other.”

Orlando quickly jumped on the most important bit. “So you are on a case now?”

Eric and Hugh both nodded and Hugh continued. “Joe Pitt has hired us. He was getting more and more suspicious about his son Brad, his behaviour and the fact that he apparently was gay…”

“What?” If he could have, Orlando would’ve jumped up from the bed. “But… but we’ve been having a relationship for two years!”

Hugh held up his hand. “That was the first time Brad appeared with a male friend, before that he was quite a ladies man. Then there were the rumours…” 

When Orlando looked up in confusion, Eric took over.

“David Wenham’s accusations had also reached Joe Pitt and because he already had his doubts he wanted to find out more, which is why he hired us.” He pointed at himself and Hugh.

“But you must have realized who I was at some point,” Orlando said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Hugh took Orlando’s hand. “It wasn’t because we didn’t trust you, but we didn’t know if there was someone among the passengers who could be a danger to you. This way we could keep an eye on you without arousing suspicion.”

It sounded all so logical and… cold. 

Orlando pulled his hand out of Hugh’s and looked away. “I guess it was all an act then?”

“What!!!” It was Eric who reacted instead of Hugh. “No way, mate, I’ve never seen him act like a lovesick idiot before. There was no acting involved, not as far as you are concerned at least.”

Hugh jumped up from the bed and smacked Eric against the back of his head. “I’m not a lovesick idiot! I’m just… keen, very keen.” He turned back to Orlando who sat on the bed watching them with wide eyes, not really knowing what to believe anymore. 

Hugh sighed and shook his head. “This is definitely not the way I had wanted you to find out the truth, Orlando. Especially after what Brad did to you. Give me the chance to show you that my feelings for you are genuine.”

Orlando closed his eyes, not up to making any decisions. “Right now I’m tired and in pain, Hugh.”

“We’ll leave you to rest, mate,” Eric said as he stood and then to Hugh. “We still have a business to run, partner. How about we go and make sure all is well?”

Hugh nodded and watched Eric ruffle Orlando’s curls which had returned without the use of hair gel. “Take care, kiddo. See you tomorrow.”

Determined to show Orlando he meant what he said, Hugh leant forward and pressed a kiss to Orlando’s lips. “I’ll be back.”

After they had left and closed the door, Orlando grabbed his mobile.

The rest of the day he made calls to his friends and a very frantic Sean, who had been trying to reach him dozens of times and feared the worst. He also had a visit from an airline representative.

Later, his mind went over the flight and the things Hugh had done for him, how he had been there for him when he was distressed and how he had stayed with him when he got injured. 

The next day, after a restless night, Orlando was waiting for Hugh to arrive.  
At around eleven Hugh and Eric finally entered his hospital room and Orlando gave them a small smile.

“Slept well?” Eric asked as he hobbled to the chair and Orlando shook his head.

Hugh walked to the bed and brushed his lips over Orlando’s forehead. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

Orlando waved his hand. “I’m fine. I just need to say this. I trust you, Hugh, I’m sorry about yesterday,” Orlando said, wanting to make things right between them again. 

The smile on Hugh’s face after his words, told Orlando that they were okay. 

Some time later there was a knock on the door and Hugh went to open the door.

Waiting outside was Joe Pitt.

“Joe! Good to see you.” Hugh shook hands with Brad’s father, behind him Orlando saw Sean and he was pushing someone in a wheelchair, covered in a blanket, and he wondered who this could be.

Sean came forward. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” he grumbled and hugged Orlando tightly before pulling out a couple of chairs for him and Joe to sit on.

“Joe, Sean? What are you doing here?” Orlando asked surprised, then he looked at Hugh. “Hugh, the documents, Joe should see them right away!”

Joe held up his hand. “I’ve seen the copies you sent to Sean, very clever by the way, son, to make a ‘back-up’.” Joe approached the bed and took Orlando’s hand. “You have been very brave, Orlando, risking your life like this.” He pressed a kiss to Orlando’s forehead, then he squeezed Orlando’s hand and motioned for Sean and the person in the wheelchair to come closer. “ _This_ is my son Bradley, Orlando.”

Orlando blinked in shock as the man in the wheelchair raised his head. His features were the same as the Brad he knew, even the eyes, although the blue ones of this Brad were clouded and not as ice cold as… the other Brad. The man looked like a poor copy of the one who Orlando had called his lover.

“Nice to meet you, Bradley,” he said with an unsteady voice. 

The man nodded, pulling the blanket tighter around his shoulders. “And you,” Bradley murmured huskily, as if he wasn’t used to talking. 

“As soon as Sean had read the documents you sent to him, he called me,” Joe continued. “Doctor Wenham disappeared after he gave the documents to you and since we now knew the address of the home where Bradley was kept, we went there with a court order from a Judge to immediately release Bradley into my custody.” 

Orlando rubbed his face, he felt a hand gently stroking his back and knew it was Hugh, he had to ignore it for now though. “Why?” he asked. “Why did Brad… sorry,” he looked at the man in the wheelchair. “Why did he do this, who is he? What did he do exactly? I haven’t had more than a quick glance at the documents.”

Sean took over from Joe. “The man that you knew as Brad was really Achille Renaux, he is a Canadian and he is two years younger than the real Bradley Pitt. Apparently he noticed the close resemblance he had to Brad and when he received a small inheritance from his grandmother a very dark plan formed in his mind. He put the money to ‘good’ use. With a picture of Brad,” Sean nodded at Bradley. “Achille went to a plastic surgeon and had the man make him into an exact copy of Brad. He knew that the real Brad was extremely wealthy and due to inherit even more money. He figured that with his new looks, he could _be_ Brad instead of just looking like him. He had the looks and he now wanted the life too.”

Orlando leant forward, frowning deeply. “But how did he take Bradley’s place?”

The man in the wheelchair snorted. “He came to me and fool that I was, I was quite flattered when he told me what he had done. Then he drugged my drink and the next time I woke up I was locked up in this institution. I was drugged to the eyeballs for almost three years, only when Doctor Wenham started to feel remorse about eight months ago, they cut back my drugs, but I still couldn’t get away from there… No one can.”

Joe blew his nose in his handkerchief and silent tears ran down Orlando’s face. “I wish I had known sooner,” he whispered. 

Hugh sat beside him on the bed and put an arm around him. “As soon as you had the proof you tried to get the documents to the only person who could do something about it even though you must have realized Brad… Achille, is a dangerous man. Eric and I found out that the plastic surgeon died suddenly and rather suspiciously and I think when they look into it any further they will find that Achille was around.”

“What happens now?” Orlando asked Joe.

At that moment Joe’s mobile rang and he answered it, then listened briefly. “Achille has been arrested. For grievous bodily harm, identity theft, attempted murder and murder. One of his technicians has confessed to having tampered with the hatch of the cargo hold on the plane, which caused it to open during the flight and most likely caused the crash.”

“Oh God!” Orlando buried his face in his hands. “How many people died in the crash?”

“Three people,” Sean told him quietly. “But lad, it is _not_ your fault. Please don’t start to blame yourself. They explained on telly that the tailwind has actually saved many lives.”

“I don’t understand,” Orlando said confused.

“The aircraft was about ten to fifteen minutes ahead of schedule due to the tailwind. If that hadn’t happened, the aircraft would have plunged into the North Sea, with a much greater chance of no one surviving…” Sean explained. 

Orlando leant back against Hugh’s arm. To actually _know_ that Brad – no Achille – had really tried to kill him and didn’t care for one moment whether a lot of innocent people would get killed in the process; it was hard to believe. 

“You are innocent too, you know,” Hugh stressed, indicating Orlando had spoken out loud. 

“Yes, but I knew by then that B-… Achille was dangerous,” Orlando objected. “I thought… well, that he, if they found me, would have me beaten up or something.”

“Exactly,” Joe grunted. “Killing is a whole different kettle of fish. You didn’t know and you are certainly not responsible, son.” He stood and motioned to Sean. “Take a couple of days in a hotel, Orlando. Hugh knows Rotterdam well, he can advise you and then, if you like, come to Brussels. I really want to thank you properly for giving me my real son back.” 

Bradley grabbed Orlando’s hand and squeezed it. “I owe you a lot, Orlando.” 

Joe took the wheelchair and pushed his son out of the hospital room. Sean quickly hugged Orlando too. “Well done, lad, you should be proud of yourself, you have exposed Achille and saved Bradley.” He turned to Hugh. “He’s going to need someone he can trust…” He looked at Hugh with raised eyebrows.

“Sean!” Orlando protested.

“He can trust me,” Hugh promised not perturbed by Sean’s question.

After another long look Sean nodded and with a handshake said goodbye to Eric. 

Eric pushed himself up from his chair. “I’m going to see whether they have a room for me here. Tomorrow I want to go to that hotel too. Now I shall leave you two lovebirds alone.”

Hugh and Orlando watched as he limped out of the room. 

Orlando sighed. “I don’t know if I’m ready for a new relationship, I’ve only just broken up with Brad.. Achille… whatever. I need time to deal with all this. The crash, the fake identity… the fake relationship,” he whispered. That probably hurt the most, that none of it had been real. He didn’t believe that anymore. 

Hugh put his other arm around Orlando too. “I am very patient man, Orlando and I will give you all the time you need, but I don’t think you should have to deal with everything alone. Let me be there for you?”

Orlando nodded and he slowly lowered his head against Hugh’s shoulder. “I’d like that,” he murmured and closed his eyes, for the first time in the last couple of days he felt truly safe.

The End


End file.
